Liquid spraying apparatus



July 14, 1964 w. M. INGOLD LIQUID SPRAYING APPARATUS Filed March 11, 1963 INVENTOR. WALTER M. INGOLD United States Patent 3,140,830 LIQUID SPRAYIN G APPARATU Walter M. lngold, Louisville, Ky., assignor to W. M.

Cissell Manufacturing Company, Louisville, Ky., a corporation of Kentucky Filed Mar. 11, 1963, Ser. No. 264,318 6 Claims. (Cl. 239-583) This invention relates to liquid spraying apparatus, and more particularly to a manually operated device of the type employed in spraying water upon garments.

The moistening of portions of garments being handled during pressing, trouser topping, form finishing and other operations conducted on such garments, requires the application of a fine spray of water, and various forms of atomizers, spray guns and the like have been developed for this usage. It is a purpose of my invention to make available an improved form of such device, and which overcomes certain disadvantages found in the present commercial forms of such spray devices.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved manually operable liquid spraying device and whose operation results in less fatigue of the operators hand.

Another object is to provide an improved liquid spraying device which is drip-proof and which avoids the expulsion of liquid in droplet form.

A further object is to provide an improved liquid spraying device composed of relatively few and simple parts and which may be readily assembled and disassembled.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds and when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which;

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view indicating a typical arrangement of the spray device with respect to an apparatus for supporting the garment under treatment.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the device with the inlet conduit detached therefrom.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view on line 3-3 of FIG. 2, and

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the assembled nozzle and housing to a larger scale and shown in the second or closed position of the valve head.

Referring first to FIG. 1, the spray device of the present invention indicated generally at 10, is particularly well suited for overhead suspension as from a ceiling or other support 11 by means of an extensible spring 12 supporting the elongated flexible conduit 13 attached to the spray device. This conduit connects with a reservoir 14 containing water under pressure and the thus described arrangement is such that the operator of the garment processing apparatus 15, here shown as a form finisher, may readily reach the spray device, manipulate it to effect the spraying, and then release the same for automatic return of the same to its suspended position out of the way of subsequent operations on the processing apparatus. Such a mounting of the spray device is commonly practiced, but when the construction of the spray device permits shifting of its internal valve means as a result of the movement of the conduit, a drippage may take place when the spray device oscillates to rest under the repeated contraction and expansion of the supporting spring as it seeks its position of rest, or when the operator first grasps the spray device and pulls it toward its position of use against the action of that spring.

This disadvantage is overcome by my improved device as will now be seen by reference to FIGS. 2 and 3 showing a preferred construction of the same. In general, a hollow housing having a configuration providing for a comfortable grip in one hand, is formed in one piece of a molded plastic material and comprises side walls 20 and 21 joined at their lower edges by a bottom section 22 and at their extreme ends by the transveres walls 23 and 24. The end wall 23 is formed with an outwardly extending projection having exterior threads 25 thereon for attachment to the housing of a suitable threaded coupling 26 (FIG. 1) which in turn is attached with a swivel mounting at one end of the flexible conduit 13. Axially extending through this end wall and projection is a first cylindrical bore 27 within which a thin screen-like strainer 28 is mounted. Extending through the end wall 24 is an interiorly threaded opening 29 which is axially aligned with the first bore 27.

A nozzle, preferably formed of metal, comprises a body portion 39 with a transverse wall 31 at its forward outer end through which a small spray aperture 32 extends at the axis of the housing and at the focus of a concave shaped outer face 33. This nozzle includes a cylindrical second bore 34 entering therein from the rear of the nozzle body and axially aligned with the opening 29 in the end wall of the housing, thus forming a tubular extension 35 of the nozzle body which is externally threaded at 36 for detachable engagement with the threaded opening 29. The inner diameter of the second bore 34 preferably is equal to the inner diameter of the first bore 27. In

addition, the nozzle body includes a transverse shoulder 37 adapted for abutment against the end of the wall 24 of that housing when the device is fully assembled. Intermediate the second bore 34 and the inner face 38 of the apertured wall 31 is a cylindrical chamber 39, within which a valve head, later to be described, is adapted to reciprocate.

Considering now FIG. 2, the valve housing intermediate its ends is formed with web section 40' bifurcated at its upper end, and between which bifurcations a tubular valve stem 41 is slidably disposed. The rearmost end of this hollow valve stem extends into the first bore 27 and carries an O-ring seal 42 sealingly engageable with that bore while the forwardmost end of the valve stem extends into the nozzle body 30 and carries an O-ring seal 43 sealingly engageable with the second bore 34. Preferably these two O-rings are of identical size and are interchangeable. Forwardly of the seal 43 the wall of the valve stem has formed therein one or more holes 44 communicating the interior of the valve stem with the chamber 39.

As best seen in FIG. 4 an improved valve head is provided and comprises a plug threaded for engagement within the forwardmost end of the valve stem and forming an imperforate body causing all liquid from within that stem to pass outwardly through the hole 44. This plug perferably has a hollow, forwardly-facing portion adapted to be filled with a form-retaining, plastic material 51, such as of synthetic rubber, and which projects a short distance forwardly of the end of that valve stem. Moreover, the exterior surface of the valve stem adjacent its forward end and closely fitting within the wall of chamber 39 is provided with a plurality of helical channels or grooves 52 communicating bore 34 in advance of O-ring 43 with the inner surface 38 of the nozzle wall 31 which contains the spray orifice. These grooves provide a number of simultaneously operable passages through which liquid may pass when the valve is in open position and contribute to an eificient spraying action through the centrally located spray aperture in conjunction with the concave nozzle surface 33 in the manner illustrated by Richterkessing Patent 2,513,676, owned by the assignee of the present invention.

For cooperation with the above-described structure I provide a manually operable handle having a grip portion 55 pivotably mounted upon a pin 56 extending between the side walls of the housing.

Projecting laterally from this grip portion and extending into the interior of the hollow housing is a pair of similar cam arms 57 and 58 each of which have forwardly and rearwardly acting cam lobes such as shown at 59 and 60 in FIG. 2. The lobes 59 coact with a flat washer 61 surrounding the valve stem and positioned by an E-ring 62 which is resiliently held in a groove on the outer surface of that stem. Likewise, the lobes 60 coact with a fiat washer 63 positioned by an E-ring 64 which is resiliently held in another groove on the outer surface of the stem. Another E-ring 65 is engaged upon the valve stem between the web section 49 and the end wall 24 of the housing and serves as an abutment for 'a compression spring 66 surrounding the valve stem and the rear end of which spring bears against another washer 67 resting against the bifurcated upper end of that Web 7 section.

with resultant drippage of liquid. Since the pressure of liquid acting upon O-ring 42 is compensated with respect to the pressure acting upon O-ring 43, a comparatively light biasing pressure of spring 66 is needed and thus, a comparatively light grip of the operators hand is required in order to open the valve, and fatigue at the end of a days work is reduced. Moreover, since rotation of the valve stem about its axis need not be prevented, a simpler construction of parts is made possible. In disassembling of the structure, as for replacement of the O-rings, all that is needed is to remove pin 56, lift out the handle, and unscrew the nozzle 39.

Manifestly, the invention, as illustrated and described,

is susceptible of modification without departing from the inventive concept, and it is intended to cover all such modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Liquid spraying apparatus comprising, a hollow housing having a first cylindrical bore at an inlet end adapted to receive liquid under pressure and an opening at a discharge end axially aligned with said first bore, a nozzle detachably engaged in said opening; said nozzle having a transverse inner face at its outer end forming a valve seat with a spray aperture therein, a second cylindrical bore at its inner end, and an intermediate chamber between said second bore and said valve seat; an elongated tubular valve stem slidably mounted in said housing and having means attached thereto and sealingly supporting said stem upon the inner walls of each of said first and second bores, said valve stem having a lateral hole in its side wall adjacent its forward end and communicating the interior of said stem with said chamber, an imperforate valve head carried by said stem forwardly of said hole and adapted to contact said valve seat, manually operable means mounted upon said housing and engaging with said valve stem and movable between a first position holding said valve head away from said valve seat and a second position permitting said valve head to contact said valve seat, and means normally urging said valve head to said second position.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said means sealingly supporting said valve stem comprises a pair of O-rings carried by said stem.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein the diameters of said first and second bores are substantially equal and the liquid pressure upon one of said O-rings tending to move said valve stem in one direction is substantially compensated by the liquid pressure upon the other O-ring tending to move said stem in the opposite direction.

4. Liquid spraying apparatus comprising, a hollow housing having a first end wall with a first cylindrical bore adapted to receive liquid under pressure, a second end wall with an opening therethrough axially aligned with said first bore, and an interior transverse web section within said housing intermediate said end walls; a nozzle detachably engaged in said opening; said nozzle having a transverse inner face at its outer end forming a valve seat with a spray aperture therein, a second cylindrical bore at its inner end, and an intermediate chamber between said second bore and said valve seat; an elongated tubular valve stem slidably mounted in said housing and having means attached thereto and sealingly supporting said stem upon the inner walls of each of said first and second bores, said valve stem having a lateral hole in its side wall adjacent its forward end and communicating the interior of said stem with said chamber, an imperforate valve head carried by said stem forwardly of said hole and adapted to contact said valve seat, a manually operable handle pivotally mounted upon said housing and engaging with said valve stem and movable between a first position holding said valve 'head away from said valve seat and a second position permitting said valve head to contact said valve seat, and

means including a member rigidly attached to said valve upon said member thereby to apply to said valve stem a force normally urging said valve head to closed posi- 'tion upon said valve seat.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein said spring comprises a compression spring arranged concentrically with said tubular valve stem.

6. In combination, a flexible conduit adapted to contain liquid under pressure, a liquid spraying device, and means coupling said conduit to said device, said device comprising a hollow housing having a first cylindrical bore communicating with said conduit and an opening at a discharge end axially aligned with said first bore, a nozzle detachably engaged in said opening; said nozzle having a transverse inner face at its outer end forming a valve seat with a spray aperture therein, a second cylindrical bore at its inner end, and an intermediate chamber between said second bore and said valve seat; an elongated tubular valve stem slidably mounted in said housing and having means attached thereto and sealingly supporting said stem upon the inner walls of each of said first and second bores, said valve stem having a lateral hole in its side wall adjacent its forward end and communicating the interior of said stem with said chamber, an imperforate valve head carried by said stem pendent of movement of said conduit attached tosaid spraying device.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,457,993 Fletcher .a Jan. 4, 1949 2,677,525 Pavey et al. May 4, 1954 2,697,638 Anger Dec. 21, 1954 3,102,691 Gall Sept. 3, 1963 

1. LIQUID SPRAYING APPARATUS COMPRISING, A HOLLOW HOUSING HAVING A FIRST CYLINDRICAL BORE AT AN INLET END ADAPTED TO RECEIVE LIQUID UNDER PRESSURE AND AN OPENING AT A DISCHARGE END AXIALLY ALIGNED WITH SAID FIRST BORE, A NOZZLE DETACHABLY ENGAGED IN SAID OPENING; SAID NOZZLE HAVING A TRANSVERSE INNER FACE AT ITS OUTER END FORMING A VALVE SEAT WITH A SPRAY APERTURE THEREIN, A SECOND CYLINDRICAL BORE AT ITS INNER END, AND AN INTERMEDIATE CHAMBER BETWEEN SAID SECOND BORE AND SAID VALVE SEAT; AN ELONGATED TUBULAR VALVE STEM SLIDABLY MOUNTED IN SAID HOUSING AND HAVING MEANS ATTACHED THERETO AND SEALINGLY SUPPORTING SAID STEM UPON THE INNER WALLS OF EACH OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND BORES, SAID VALVE STEM HAVING A LATERAL HOLE IN ITS SIDE WALL ADJACENT ITS FORWARD END AND COMMUNICATING THE INTERIOR OF SAID STEM WITH SAID CHAMBE, AN IMPERFORATE VALVE HEAD CARRIED BY SAID STEM FORWARDLY OF SAID HOLE AND ADAPTED TO CONTACT SAID VALVE SEAT, MANUALLY OPERABLE MEANS MOUNTED UPON SAID HOUSING AND ENGAGING WITH SAID VALVE STEM AND MOVABLE BETWEEN A FIRST POSITION HOLDING SAID VALVE HEAD AWAY FROM SAID VALVE SEAT AND A SECOND POSITION PERMITTING SAID VALVE HEAD TO CONTACT SAID VALVE SEAT, AND MEANS NORMALLY URGING SAID VALVE HEAD TO SAID SECOND POSITION. 